Attachment for violins



'A ril 30, 1929. G. w. HEY 1,711,386

ATTACHMENT FOR VI OLI NS Filed Aug. 8, 1927 I 2' k 1 15' i2? 3 1 1 1 I I 11m11 1 1 111111 11|| INVENTOR.

6601:9914? Hey,

Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. HEY, OF GREAT FALLS, MONTANA.

ATTACHMENT FOR VIOLINS.

Application filed August 8, 1927.

This invention relates to an attachment for string musical instruments, and is designed primarily for use in connection with violins, but it is to be understood that an attachment in accordance with this invention may be employed in connection with any type of musical instrument for which it is found applicable, and the invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an attachment constructed and arranged for increasing or magnifying, refining and improving the tone of the instrument with which the attachment is installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a tone increasing, refining and improving attachment for musical instruments and which is simple in its construction and arrange- 1nent, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly eflicient in its use, readily installed with respect to an instrument, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically de scribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can he resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an attachment in accordance with this invention showing the adaptation thereof in connection with a violin and with the front thereof removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a violin showing the adaptation there with of an attachment in accordance with this invention.

Figure 3 is a section of the attachment taken on line 8-3 Figure 1 and upon an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 denotes the body of a violin and which has anchored therein a tone increasing or mag nifying, refining and improving attachment in accordance with this invention and said attachment is referred to generally at 2 and the several elements thereof are constructed of wood, preferably spruce.

Serial No. 211,474.

The attachment 2 includes a straight carrier bar 3 having each end anchored in an end of the body portion 1 of the violin. The ends of the bar 3 are indicated at 4 and said bar 3 is disposed at the longitudinal median of the body 1 and is spaced from the front and rear sides of the body 1. The bar 3 provides means for suspending two groups of tone magnifying, refining and improving members within the body portion 1 of the violin. The groups are arranged in spaced relation and each group is positioned in proximity to an end of the body 1 or in other words each group is positioned between the transverse median and an end of the body portion 1. One of the groups of said members is indicated at A and the other group at B. The group A is arranged within the rearward part and the group B within the forward part of the body 1 ofthe violin. The members of the group A are so positioned within the body 1 that not one of them will have a part thereof positioned directly below the openings formed in the top of the body 1. The members of both groups form a complete chromatic scale device and each of said members is tuned separately to the chromatic scale. The members of each group are termed harmonious elements and vibrate in unison with the tones of the viol n when played, prolong the vibrations, and make the tones more responsive, or in other words said elements provide for increasing or magnifying, refining and improving the tone of the instrument. The elements of each group are arranged in spaced relation and progressively increase in length. The group A is positioned in proximity to the rearward end of the body portion 1 and the roup B is positioned in proximity to the otner end of the body portion 1. Each of said elements consists of a strip of wood, preferably spruce, and with the strip being fiat and of rectangular transverse section. Each end of each of the elements is slightly rounded.

The group A comprises seven elements indicated at 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and the group B consists of five element-s designated 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The element 5 of the group A is the inner element thereof and the element 11 of the group A is the outer element thereof. The element 12 of the group B is the inner element thereof and the element 16 the outer element thereof. The

element a is the shortest element of the group A and the remaining elements of said group progressively increase in length from the element 5. The element 12 is the shortest element of the group B and the other elements of said group progressively increase in length from the element 12. The element 16 in the group B corresponds in length to the element 5 of the group A, but the other elements of the group B are of less length than any of the other elements of the group A. The elements of the group A are equally spaced with respect to each other and a like arrangement is had with respect to the ele ments of thegroup B. The element 5 of group A corresponds to C# and is so incicated at 17. The element 6 corresponds to G and is designated as at 18. The element 7 corresponds to Band is so designated as at 19. The element 8 corresponds to A 5 8 and is so designated as at 20. The element 9 corresponds to A and is so designated as at 21. The element 10 corresponds to bit and is so designated as at 22 and the element 10 corresponds to G and is so designated as at 23. The element 12 of the group B corres onds to Fit and is so designated as at 2t. Ihe element 13 corresponds to F and so designated as at 25. The element 1% corresponds to E and is so designated as at The element 15 corresponds to D# and is so designated as at 27. The element l6 corresponds to D and is so designated as at 28. The elements of the group A, as well as the elements of the group B are of a length less than the transverse width of the body 1 and the ends of the several elements are arranged in spaced relation with respect to the sides of the body 1. The several elements are secured in a suitable manner, centrally there of, upon the upper face of the bar 2, an d t e width of the latter corresponds to the width of any of the several elements.

The elements of each of the groups vibrate in unison with the tones of the violin when played and function to increase or magnify tone, as well as to refine and improve the same and act to make the tones more responsive and the two groups of ele ments are so disposed in the body of the violin whereby the attachment will cilieiently perform the function for which it is intended.

The attachment is made of well seasoned spruce wood and weighs hardly 3 ounces. Its effect on the construction of the violin is to strengthen it so that there is no giving or sagging of the frame as often happens in an instrument without this attachment.

The bar 8 also provides means of conducting sound or tone vibrations from the end blocks to the resonators or elements.

It is to be understood that these resonators or elements numbered 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are tuned to the scale on a piano beginning with G above middle G. Since all violins differ in tone, some begin .;r ;ng and others weak on certain notes of the scale. The elements could begin on other notes than G above middle C also several elements could be left out or several could be added according to the needs of the instrument.

The attachment provides a means of allowing the player to perform more easily and with less labor so far as tone is concerned: to play a pure carrying tone softer than ever before to a lender contrast with more reserve power of tone and danger of splitting it.

It is thou t the many ad antages of a tone increasing; or magnifying, refining and improving attachment in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood, and although the pi if the invention 7 erred embodiment of as illustrated and described, understood that changes in the rnction, can be had which fall wi .liin the scope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim is:

s to b:

l. A ton-o amplifying and refining attach nt i'e'ir st nged musical instruments com rising a carrier adapted to have its raids anchored in the ends of the body of the instrunuuit, and two spaced sets of viin'atory ie amplifying and refining elements fining a complete chromatic scale device connected to, extended transversely and projecting laterally with respect to each sioe of said carrier and suspended from the latter within the body of the instrument.

2. t tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements forming a complete chromatic scale device connected to. extended transversely and projecting laterally with respect to each side of said carrier and suspended from the latter within the body of the instrument, each of the elements cf each set arranged in spaced relation and the elements of each set progressively increasing in length.

3. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements forming a complete chromatic scale device connected to, extended transversely and projecting laterally with respect to each side of said carrier and suspended from the latter within the body of the instrument, one of said sets interposed between the transverse median and one end of said carrier and the other of said sets interposed between the transverse median and the other end of said carrier.

4- A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements forming a complete chromatic scale device connected to and extended transversely of said carrier and suspended from the latter within the body of the instrument, the number of elements of one of said sets being greater than the number of elements of the other of said sets.

5. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements con-- neeted to, extended transversely and projecting laterally with respect to each side of said carrier and suspended from the latter within the body of the instrument, the elements of one of said sets associated with the notes of G, G#, A, Ant, C and Giland the elements of the other of said sets associated with the notes D, Dji, E, F and Fri.

.6. A tone amplifying and refining attach ment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier in the form of a bar for positioning within and adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of thin, rectangular, flat, vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements connected to, extending transversely of the top and projecting laterally with respect to each side of said bar, said elements being suspended by said bar within the body of the instrument, the elements of each set being arranged in spaced relation.

7. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier in the form of a bar for positioning within and adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements connected to, extending transversely of and suspended by said bar within the body of the instrument, the elements of, each set being arranged in spaced relation, the elements of one set being of a greater number than the elements of the other set.

8. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier in the form of a bar for positioning within and adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the bed of the instrument, and two spaced sets of vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements connected to, extending transversely of and suspended by said bar within the body of the instrument, the elements of each set being arranged in spaced relation, the elements of one set being of a greater numher than the elements of the other set, and that set containing the greatest number of elements within the body portion at the outer part thereof.

9. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier in the form of a bar for positioning within and adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the body of the instrument, and two spaced sets of Vibratory tone amplifying and refining elements connected to, extending transversely of and suspended by said bar within the body of the instrument, the elements of each set being arranged in spaced relation, the elements of one set progressively increasing in length outwardly, and the elements of the other set progressively decreasing in length towards the first mentioned set.

10. A tone amplifying and refining attachment for stringed musical instruments comprising a carrier in the form of a bar for positioning within and adapted to have its ends anchored in the ends of the bed of the instrument, and two spaced sets of viliratory tone amplifying and refining elements connected to, extending transversely of and suspended by said bar within the body of the instrument, the elements of each set being arranged in spaced relation, the elements of one set progressively increasin in length outwardly, and the elements OI the other set progressively decreasing in length towards the first mentioned set, and each of said elements being of rectangular contour and secured at its transverse center to said bar.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

GEORGE WV. HEY. 

